WA5 owner here.....an AKG K1000 was the reason I bought the WA5, and have enjoyed this headphone ever since.
Now that I am getting a pair of Elrog 300B's, I am interested in exploring other headphones. The plannars seem to be a logical choice. There are probably not enough WA5 owners yet that have the Elrog's.....in any case, what plannars would you guys suggest as a good match with the WA5? Thanks.
W5 LE owner here. Been out of the country for a couple years so I have not tried a lot of new headphones with my W5LE. I liked the HD800s but they had a non-emotional sound that did nothing for my mood. Tried the HD800s both with standard cables and aftermarket premium cables. Also with and without the T-shirt mod.
Something from the new AKG line would be worth experimenting with. There is of course their new flagship. But many models now with a small amount of extra bass as compared to using the W5LE with the K701s. The K701s are nice for classical and any electronic music from new age to IDM.
I personally love the AH-D 7000s and with the correct interconnects and power cords the W5LE is everything I could ask for. Still you have to choose your music as it really shows all the level of recording and mastering process.
I would give www.trueaudiophile.com a try...they are in Portland, Oregon. http://www.trueaudiophile.com/elrog-300b-vacuum-tube-hand-made-in-germany-on-telefunken-machines/
Beautiful rig and very cool looking tubes (I've already commented on how much I love those gear stands). And, yes, you do need to exorcise the Star Wars posters
Beautiful rig and very cool looking tubes (I've already commented on how much I love those gear stands). And, yes, you do need to exorcise the Star Wars posters
Compared both the Elrog's and the WE early 40's grey plates. The WE has an incredible mid range euphonic richness that is highly seductive, however where the Elrog really shines and in my opinion is the better tube is the stunning realism throughout the frequency spectrum. It is a very well balanced tube, a little shouty and forward when new however this is normal and settles down after the 50 hour mark, they really sound the their best around the 80-100 mark. I am currently burning in my 2nd pair of Elrog's.
The WE's do not have the bottom end extension and weight of the Elrog's neither do they have the mid range immiediacy and or the high end sparkle. In a probably balanced setup with the right driver tubes and rectifiers the Elrog's in my subjective opinion are the better tube. They too have a rich midrange but it is not of the syrupy nature, there is no particular emphasis on any frequency range. This is a good thing. They do not try and sound like a typical 300B - talking with the distributor who is close to Klauss it seems they were never designed with that in mind. He designed and built the best sounding tube possible, only the 4 pin layout is the same and the similarities with other 300B's end there.
There are enough 'replica's' on the market to satisfy anyone looking for that sound. In that respect the SERP's and the KR 300 B Balloon's are probably the best 'replica's' in production, the SERP's have a rich tonal sound and strong bass versus the KR's which have a slightly drier presentation however the KR's have better pitch definition and noticeably more air.
I am hesitant to cataegrise the Takatsuki 300B at this time as mine only have 45-50 hours on them and I am waiting for the 120 hour mark before I form strong opinions on them as the sound has changed dramatically (for the better) over the past 2 weeks. I noticed a big change around the 40 hour mark so I expect them to improve even more. They really need to paired with the matching 274B rectifier as the pair have clearly been voiced the same. That is to say they have incredible texture and detail throughout the entire frequency range, the bass performance is outstanding and has slightly more weight than the Elrog's.
In summary and please bear in mind that ideally both the Takatsuki's and the Elrog's need to be critically assessed at the 120 - 150 hour mark when the sound has fully stabilised - hand on heart I would say you cannot go wrong with either tube. They both offer a sound quality that is way beyond any other 300B I have heard and in my opinion are both superior to the WE. Finally we have viable current production alternatives.
Great to hear!......thanks for your input! .........now the question...what rectifier goes best with the Elrog 300B? I suspect what ever rectifier goes with the Elrog in your WA 234, would work equally well in the WA5?...Takatsuki?...... It would be nice to find a rectifier that did not cost an arm and a leg... Prob as more WA5 owners get the Elrog's, we will have a better idea what works well....maybe Elrog will eventually be coming out with a 5u4g or substitute?? ))
Great to hear!......thanks for your input! .........now the question...what rectifier goes best with the Elrog 300B? I suspect what ever rectifier goes with the Elrog in your WA 234, would work equally well in the WA5?...Takatsuki?...... It would be nice to find a rectifier that did not cost an arm and a leg... Prob as more WA5 owners get the Elrog's, we will have a better idea what works well....maybe Elrog will eventually be coming out with a 5u4g or substitute?? ))
Great to hear!......thanks for your input! .........now the question...what rectifier goes best with the Elrog 300B? I suspect what ever rectifier goes with the Elrog in your WA 234, would work equally well in the WA5?...Takatsuki?...... It would be nice to find a rectifier that did not cost an arm and a leg... Prob as more WA5 owners get the Elrog's, we will have a better idea what works well....maybe Elrog will eventually be coming out with a 5u4g or substitute?? ))
Here's what I know-- but I don't have the tube stock others here have:
Best I've heard so far is the "Mighty 596". But I'm working on picking up some GZ34s, which were my all-time favorite on the WA6. Hard to find a matching pair.
Tubes which were inferior to the 596: Tung Sol 5U4G and the EML Mesh 5U4G.
I'm not going to buy the Takatsuki rectifiers. Too expensive.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
My son has eyed them up for his room. Jazz posters would be better suited. I got some nice classy gear then I stick those silly posters behind. 
Prob as more WA5 owners get the Elrog's, we will have a better idea what works well....maybe Elrog will eventually be coming out with a 5u4g or substitute?? 
